A Palmyra Congregation with a Long Memory and a Wide Welcome
Trinity United Church of Christ sits on West Pine Street in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, the present-day home of a community of faith whose roots reach back more than 175 years. The current congregation grew out of the Reformed side of an earlier Palm Lutheran and Reformed Church and took the name Trinity Reformed Church on Trinity Sunday in 1902. Today the church carries the United Church of Christ identity and belongs to the Penn Central Conference, while keeping its place as a fixture on the edge of small-town Lebanon County.
The Story of Trinity
The cornerstone of what would become Trinity was laid in the 700 block of West Main Street, where Lutheran and Reformed congregations shared a worship space for more than fifty years. The Reformed congregation built its own building at the corner of East Main and North Chestnut Streets in 1902, and at a congregational meeting just before the dedication the name Trinity Reformed Church was chosen because the meeting fell on Trinity Sunday.
From 80 members in 1902 the body grew to 580 by 1959. Pastor Warren Adams saw the need for new construction in the 1950s but met resistance. After the interim leadership of John Boyer and under Pastor Robert Townsley, an 82 percent vote in 1960 sent the congregation to the edge of town, onto land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Norman Rothermel. Three hundred people attended the groundbreaking on Trinity Sunday, June 17, 1962, and the new building was dedicated on November 24, 1963, with 680 names on the roll.
The 1970s and 1980s brought growth past 900 members, joint services with Palm Lutheran that featured a sermon in German and then the same sermon in English, and assistant pastors shared with Hill Church. A period of factional conflict in the early 1990s was followed by a string of interim pastorates, then by Pastor John Binkley, who served from 2000 to 2008 and helped unify the congregation. During his tenure the Palmyra Caring Cupboard was started and Trinity deepened its work with the Palmyra Area Cooperating Churches, including representation on the board of Interfaith Manor.
Interim pastor Amy Shultz in 2011, the first woman to lead Trinity, encouraged the congregation to look at commonalities rather than differences. Pastor Julia Beall followed later that year and pushed the church toward an outward-facing ministry and broader community use of the building. When Beall left in 2017, the congregation called Pastor Donté Jones, and the church continued to grow in diversity. The current pastor, Justin Musombi, carries that same forward-looking spirit into Trinity's present chapter.
A Vision Shaped by Inclusion
Trinity describes its vision as creating inclusive and welcoming environments where all may worship God, encounter the gospel of Jesus Christ, celebrate the sacraments, and be equipped to bring about justice and peace. Five values shape the life of the church: openness, kindness, generosity, bridging communities, and holy innovation.
The community welcomes people regardless of race, religious background, or social background. As one recent phrase from the congregation captures it, from a body that began by sharing space in a borrowed church, Trinity has become a church that says, "We've got a space for you."
Sunday Worship and the Pathways Team
Sunday worship is held at 9:00 AM, either in person or through a livestream on YouTube. The space and program carry a more traditional tone, while the community itself is relaxed and informal. There is no formal dress code; people arrive in everything from business clothes to casual weekend wear. Visitors are invited to come by 8:45 AM so that ushers can help them find their seats and answer questions.
The Pathways team helps visitors find their way in. Led by Pastor Justin Musombi and team members Wayne "Skip" Unger and Donna Klinger, Pathways reaches out to anyone curious about getting connected, volunteering, or learning more about the congregation's ministries. A Share Your Gifts Directory, available in print on the table outside the church office and online, lists the many ways to get involved.
Two parking lots serve the building. The Education Wing lot is the general parking area with a stairway entry, and disability parking sits just outside the main auditorium with a one-landing entrance. The building is ADA and wheelchair accessible.
Children, Youth, and Adult Learning
Sunday School for children in kindergarten through sixth grade is held during the worship service from September through May. Children receive a short message from the pastor before being dismissed to their classrooms in a one-room Sunday School format that wraps up when worship ends.
Youth Group, for students in sixth grade and above, meets on the third Sunday of each month after the worship service.
Adult Bible Study follows a guided cover-to-cover walk through Scripture using the Genesis to Revelation series from Abingdon Press. The class works through two dozen thirteen-lesson sessions that examine each verse of the Bible, with a leader guide and personal study books. Delivered by email, the format grew out of the Covid-19 shutdown and gives participants flexibility around busy seasons, with study continuing year-round.
Fellowship Hall and Community Use
The church opens its 5,000-square-foot Fellowship Hall to the wider community for wedding receptions, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events, retreats, class reunions, luncheons, funeral receptions, and seminars. The hall seats up to 192 people and is fully air conditioned, with abundant natural light, WiFi and AV equipment, and ample on-street and off-street parking.
Full catering facilities are available for guests and their caterers, including a six-burner commercial range, double ovens, a three-bay commercial wash sink, double-door refrigerator, and double-door freezer. An on-site venue manager is on hand to help events run smoothly, and renters may choose their own caterer or work with the church's in-house caterer.
Leadership and Practical Information
Trinity is led by Pastor Justin Musombi. A Consistory (board) made up of elders and deacons shares governance of the congregation. Elders include Bob Seward, Deb Dunnigan, Donna Herr, and Vicki Nice. Deacons include Kate Murphy, Louis Digrugilliers, Joe Murphy, and Shelly Digrugilliers. Burt Hunt serves as treasurer.
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM and can be reached at (717) 838-3412 or office@trinitypalmyra.org. Services are livestreamed on YouTube and recorded services are posted on Vimeo, while giving is available online. Trinity belongs to the United Church of Christ and the Penn Central Conference, and an annual Holiday Bazaar remains one of the congregation's signature fundraisers.